March 2023
Forced scamming has become a severe problem in Southeast Asia.
Thousands of people have been deceived by false job offers and trafficked to Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar and the Philippines.
Trapped inside guarded compounds, workers are forced to scam people worldwide with fake romance - also known as 'pig butchering scams' - or investment opportunities.
Thanks to your support, IJM is on the frontlines working to stop it.
Nine people from Indonesia – who IJM helped bring to safety from forced scamming in Cambodia – have just received justice.
Three traffickers were convicted, and one was ordered to pay compensation to the survivors.
“My wife will soon give birth, so I really depend on this compensation because I did not receive any salary when I worked in Cambodia,” said Moris*, one of the survivors.
Moris and the other Indonesian workers were deceived by false job offers and trafficked to Cambodia in early 2022.
When they arrived, their passports were confiscated and they were trapped in a guarded compound.
They were forced to create fake social media profiles, targeting wealthy, older people worldwide to invest in cryptocurrency.
Some of the workers were physically punished for not meeting their targets.
They were trapped for months until IJM and police brought them to safety and helped them return to Indonesia. The survivors are now moving on with their lives and hoping for better days ahead.
Supported by people like you, IJM has collaborated with Cambodian National Police and partners to bring more than 100 people like Moris to safety in the past 18 months.
Together, we can stop this exploitation for good.
*pseudonym